Chapter 2: The Preparation Meet The Reality
For two months, The Empire has doing a lot of preparation. The Imperial's treasury has approved a millions of gold in Sawani to fulfill the preparations. Those golds were used to purchase a supply, horses, weapons, and equipments.
Only the professional legionaires who would get paid for the campaign. The newly conscripted foot soldiers were paid with nothing but a meal and a right to plunder whatever they found on the other side.
Yet, legionaires wasn't the only unit that got paid.
There are cavalry unit, legionaires, and wyvern riders.
Wyvern riders was the most elite unit in the whole army. That's why their numbers are small in comparison with the other unit. The Wyvern riders unit was only consisted of 500 riders.
On the contrary, horses were being kept in every stable around the imperial capital, including the stable that belonged to normal plebians(civilians). Some were paid to do so, some were… persuaded to let the cavalry horses in their stables. This was normally wouldn't happen. But in this occasion, the number of horses that being added to the whole army was staggering.
With the total of 40.000 horses, trained for cavalry job, was prepared for the conquest.
The numbers of horses however, was paled in comparison of the foot soldiers.
The professional legionaires alone was already reaching 30.000 in numbers. They all were gathered from around the Empire territory outposts, some were even become vulnerable because of this. Yet, the Empire didn't budge and simply shrug it off since they have reserve in the capital.
The professional legionaires is already that much, but the newly conscripted levies were the dominant force from the whole army in this campaign. Numbering until 70.000, these levies or the newly conscripted armies were called up from every city, towns, and villages around the Empire and it's vassals.
To add more strength to the whole army, some patricians have formed their own army which made up by mercenaries and their own levies. The numbers were varied, but it is estimated every patrician who formed the private army has around 2000 men. Although it's a problematic issue to have their own army in the campaign that was supposed to be run by the Empire, the generals and the Emperor finally let them be as long as they didn't disturbed the whole strategy.
In the end, around 160.000 soldiers has been called for the campaign. It's a staggering, gigantic army. It's been a long time since the Empire has raised an army this much for a single campaign.
If not for the supply matters, the Empire could bring up more soldiers for the campaign. Nevertheless, all the elements in the Empire goverments were satisfied by the sheer numbers of soldiers they have for the campaign. They were confident it would be an easy feat to conquer whatever it is across the gate.
It is normal to think so. They were uncontested for more than a half milennia. All of the inhabitants in the continent fear them. They are the most fearsome army in the whole continent, the best one, the prestigious one.
And because of it, they didn't fully prepared the supply ration for a long term campaign. At best, they could only survive for 2 months. But neither the generals and the patricians are bothered. They all think it would end in less than a month.
As for the leader, there was a heated debate for who's taking the charge of the campaign. Either patricians, senators, generals, even prince has appointed themselves to be the leader. Some even scheme up to gain the position.
Emperor Molt for once again has to put his hand down to settle the conflict.
He carefully consider every party who promote themselves. But, he cannot choose from the ability alone. If he wants to choose from the tactical ability and the way to run a war, it's obviously one of the generals would be the best choices. However, he need to pleased some of his vassals, patricians, and even his own blood relatives. If he didn't do so, the support to make him stay on the throne would be reduced.
His sons in particular were hungry for glory and prestige. Zorzal and Diabo has been fighting each other behind everyone's backs to secure the throne in the future. Zorzal might have the upper hand since he's the Crown Prince. But Diabo's schemes and intelligent were not a simple threat and could snatch the throne from him.
There's also his third child, Pina. She's the only female direct decendants. And it seems she doesn't have any ambition to take the throne. However, she seems to be eager to make herself as a knight. She made a new knight order, The Rose Knight Order from nothing. She gathered every nobles daughter to be her fellow, and by times, she gained support from some influential plebians and successfully maintain her own knight order into fine army. In a way, the Emperor was proud of her achievements yet he's concerned if she would become a threat in some ways.
Pina might doesn't have any ambition to take the throne, but she's eager to gain acknowledgement. As a female, she doesn't possess many trait that a female should have. She aware of her looks, but just that. She cannot perform to be elegant, she didn't enjoy being fashionable, and she's pretty awful in dance. But she found a way of being a knight as her best environment.
Emperor Molt knew this.
That's why, he wanted to gave Pina a chance. A chance to prove herself and to polish her knighthood.
But it cannot be decided that easily.
He need someone who understand to run a campaign, yet he cannot simply just chose the generals to take over. The patricians and senates would be dissapointed and they could reduce their support for him. Losing the support from both party could lead to a dangerous situation.
And so, after spending a full night of consideration, decided to let one of the patricians lead the whole campaign.
A men in his late 50's, named Kalios. He's a war veteran who served as the general for 20 years, and when he retired he inherit his status as Marquis from his deceased father. He's well respected from all parties, either it's senates, patricians, and military. Marquis Kalios was pretty much well versed in strategy, decent in nobility world, and in person, he's a first rate swordsmen. If only he's not old, he probably could defeat Zorzal in single battle.
Aside from Marquis Kalios, Molt was also choose his vice leader. He choose Diabo to serve him as the vice-leader. Of course, this decision was not fully accepted by both Diabo and Zorzal. Diabo wants to be the main leader, while Zorzal protesting he cannot join the campaign at all.
But Molt had defused the tension by giving Zorzal a right to lead the reserve legionaires stationed in the capital. Although it wasn't as much as the legionaires sent for the campaign, a roughly 20.000 legionaires is still a huge army. This reserve are exist for contingency. Something like rebellion or a sudden attack from "barbarians".
Molt had to used a sweet words to convince Zorzal that the Empire might be in a vulnerable state since most of the soldiers are away for the conquest campaign in the otherworld. If a sudden attack were coming, Zorzal would be the first one to deal it and later would hailed as the hero.
Those sweet words were eventually succeed to appease Zorzal.
Diabo on the other hand, were dealt with more harshly. Molt threatened him for disobeying and could be punished for a treason. A punishment in Diabo's perpective was pretty dangerous since he need to build his good image to every people he know. In the end, Diabo reluctantly accepted his lower status from Marquis Kalios.
Pina was left a bit dissapointed since her knights wasn't counted as an expetidionary force. But Emperor Molt gave her a task to guard the gate while the main army doing their conquest. Just in case, something unwanted happen to the gate.
And so, the whole army is complete.
160.000 combined soldiers, led by Marquis Kalios and Prince Diabo, were doing their last preparation before the gate appeared.
"Just one week left," said the priest from Bellnahgo, "then the gate would appear in Alnus Hill."
The army had already made a camp in Alnus Hill since a week ago. This piece of news are warmly welcomed.
"Diabo-sama, we shall began preparing."
"Yes, Lord Kalios. Let's conquer the other side and bring them our civilization!"
"For glory!" a cup of fine wine were raised from Lord Kalios.
"For Glory!" the whole officer in a camp errupted.
…
On the day as promised by the priest, Marquis Kalios had already formed up a first troops in early morning.
Some days before, Marquis Kalios, Prince Diabo, and other military generals had been gathered to discussed on how they would start.
Some patricians with no military knowledge insist on straightly send the whole army in one-go. But this proposition immediately rejected since by the estimation, the Gate itself wouldn't be that big enough to let a whole 160.000 armies marched towards the other world. And also, by some cautious figures that present, it is better to send a scout at first and gave them a day or two for scouting the area. But this proposition was also rejected because it showed cowardice and wasting times.
Marquis Kalios was actually agreed on the latter, but as Emperor Molt already experienced, he need to pleased most of his retinue. Luckily, prince Diabo gave a good suggestion by dividing several army and sent them by wave after wave through the gate. The first wave would consisted by 20.000 combined troops. They were given a right to plunder straight away and conquer any place that possible. But the main mission was for scouting. The first wave would be fully consist of legionaires, cavalries, and wyvern riders. The levies would come in second and third wave.
The purpose is to create a strong frontline by the legionaires, and the rear was guarded by fellow legionaires who would come as the last waves. Those waves would also need a leader. And as usual, there's a dispute on who would lead the first wave as it was seemed to be the most honorable position. Yet again, Lord Kalios and Prince Diabo has to racked their brain to choose a leader for each wave
Although they were confident in their armies strength, but it is still a good thing to make a good frontline.
When the day was come, the Empire was more than ready. Whatever beyond the gate was nothing in the face of the mighty Saderan Empire. That's what they believed. And they have every right to think so.
As the sun rose from the horizon, the soldiers of the Empire seen the magical structures appear out of nowhere on a top of the hill.
There was no sound, there was no movement, yet the Gate was suddenly appeared before the sun rised. A giant stuctured with dark green colored walls, more than 300 meters height and 500 meters length, with mysterious carved symbols in its giant doors, the Gate was a sight to behold.
As they seen the gate, everyone smiled. In their imagination, the land beyond the Gate was nothing more than gold mine that was provided by the God and Goddess. The first to come, the first to served.
That's why there's been growing of hatred and jealousy between the legionaires and the levies. But the people who hold in command simply brushed them off as if nothing happened.
And so, in the early morning, the horn to signal the army to move, was blown.
The first wave had been prepared since the sun rised. They were full motivated. The morale was at their maximum limit. Everyone marched with a proud smile and stern posture.
We're gonna be rich.
They mind filled with nothing but wealth, glory, and triumph.
They marched to the gate.
The Gate is opened by itself.
The armies smile grew wider.
They marched again.
Into the pitch black place.
At first they starting to get some nervous but they remembered once again what could be lies beyond it.
So they kept marched.
And they prevail.
Only several hundred meters of marching, they could see a bright light at the end of the passage. The only thing that kept them together was their discipline as legionaire. If they were the levies, they would surely rushed their way to the end of passage.
The leader of the first wave, general Agnius, lead the army marched in order towards the light.
And as they reached the light, they were stopped.
There was something not right. Something is not according their plan. No, something is not according their expectation.
The rear column was finally catch up, only to see their comrades in front stopped with an awed expression.
The happy mood earlier suddenly changed into confusion. The horses were also stopped, sensing some fear.
The cause is the sight in front of them. A sight that would make any normal human would shiver out of fear. Soon, the confusion would turn into a fear.
Because what awaits in front of them, were an army of fully equipped giant High Orc.